TRP: Morgan and Raef (We're All Friends Now)
Stoic Hall, day 195, after the events of the Whipdagger live session. Morgan Wyn sat at her usual table in the corner. Her red pseudodragon clung to her shoulders, and a half-eaten plate of hearty food sat in front of her. She sipped a mug of coffee, looking tired, with dark circles around her eyes, and gazed at a novel she didn't appear to actually be reading. Mink Several of the Runner's talked about Morgan Wyn; she should have been impressive looking, but she looked fucking tired when Raef spotted her in the hall. She was also easy to spot with the red dragon perched on her shoulders. He wound his way through the hall to her table. "No point in having a book if you're not going to read it," he said as he sunk down in a chair at the table. Up close she looked even more worn. Trying to take over a city had to be exhausting. foxbot "Offers a good weapon of opportunity to chuck at the head of some guy who comes up to say rude shit to you," she said, but offered a half grin and set up book down to look at him. "Help you with something, Raef?" Mink Raef smiled despite himself. "You'd better hope the guy isn't quicker." He didn't find himself surprised she knew his name; she was keeping tabs on the castle. If he hadn't seen Gabriel's head spinning from what she ordered, he would have approved. He had to mull over his questions for a moment. He knew shit about her other than what was relayed back to him. "I had to see the Morgan Wyn for myself." foxbot She leaned back and gestured to herself dramatically. "In the flesh. Try to hold your applause." Mink "I'll try." Raef chuckled. He leaned back in his chair, eyes flickering over Wyn briefly before settling back on her face. She looked fucking tired and, for the smallest of moments, he considered leaving her to her unread book and the dragon that still sat patiently on her shoulders. He hadn't trekked his ass out to Stoic Hall for nothing, though. "I've gotta ask who taught Asya Nighthand." foxbot "Oh, you been hanging out with my girl, huh?" she asked, amused. "Wasn't me. Helena Baron maybe, or that little shit Jonn -- he's the only other one who knows it. Maybe she taught herself. Terrible thing, not having a voice." Mink "People like to talk." He shrugged. Fucking Jonn. Of course he knew Nighthand. That didn't help him in knowing who the fuck was old enough to remember it. Helena Baron, maybe, like Wyn had said, but he knew nothing about her except she was missing. He doubted there were that many 300+ year old folks running around. "'Guess that answers my next question." Shit. foxbot "Oh, yeah?" She raised an eyebrow. "You wanna ask it anyway?" Mink Raef quirked an eyebrow. "Nighthand's old as hell so I was going to ask if you're just as old." foxbot "Nah." She waved it off and flicked an ear. "I know they're sharp and all, but they ain't as sharp as yours." Mink "We both know there're ways to skip that."(edited) foxbot She shrugged. "Sure, sure. Druids, vampires, shapechangers that aren't what they look like -- hey, how's that foxy lady lives in the castle?" She tilted her head. "You guys close?" Mink He wasn't certain if she was skipping the obvious implication; he let it drop. "She's great." Ombre always seemed to be. He liked her and remembered her from when he was a child - he should probably tell her that; she'd probably get a kick out of it. "I thought you had enough eyes to know who I'm close to." foxbot She gave him a long, tired look and settled back in her chair. Her pseudodragon slipped off her shoulders, slithering down into her lap. "Y'know, man," she said, "normally I like playing these games, and you Graverunner fucks -- you're a good time, by and large. The turtle? He's hilarious. Your little nercomancer pal? Barrel of laughs. Jasper? Girl breaks my goddamn heart. Goro -- great fun, real quick clever tongue. But hey, lemme tell ya, Raef --." She wrapped a hand around her mug and lifted it to her lips. "I been having these bad dreams lately. Just don't have it in me to taunt you about how you're bonin' down Imesh Sacharet, how cute it is, you two schemin' to off his daddy and all. Kid's got some issues, don'tcha figure?" She took a sip. "Anyway, I wanted to help you out, got my contacts out in Alabaster to get this sword for you, and then that goddamn thief Robin the-fuck's-his-name went and stole it from me." She shook her head, looking distant. "Point is, look, I'm just curious -- your fox friend -- she really a kitsune, or something else just pretending?" Mink She knew a lot, but she didn't know about Gwydion - didn't know about the argument. Good. One less thing Wyn knew, the better. Raef didn't trust - couldn't trust her - but he could know she was fucking great at her job. He could even admire it. If it wasn't going to bite the Graverunner's in the ass. Which it probably was. Everything always did. Raef tapped his fingers lightly on the table as he watched Wyn, debating. She knew a lot, and had given him a lot...at least Robin had. That was a problem. For later. "As far as I know she's just a wizard." He shrugged. "Could be a kitsune."(edited) foxbot Her lip curled. "Mm. Just a wizard. Thanks for your help, Raef. Good luck on the wedding." She picked her book back up. Mink The conversation was in danger of shutting down,and he wasn't ready for that. Not when there was shit to learn. He dropped his hand to his lap. "Are you going to fuck with her if I answer?"(edited) foxbot "You wound me," she deadpanned, not looking up from her book. Mink "You're running a fucking guild that has caused a shit ton of damage." Raef let out a soft breath. "But I don't have to answer; you already know." He shrugged. "Why do you care?" foxbot "Kitsune are an interesting bunch." She shrugged, and set her book back down. The dragon crawled back out of her lap, curled around her shoulder and rubbed its cheek against hers, making a croaky chirping noise. "Had a run-in with one, once -- went pretty bad for me. I like to keep tabs, that's all." Mink Raef watched the dragon rather lazily. It'd be cute if it wasn't a familiar. "Interesting, yeah," he agreed, looking back up to Wyn's face. This conversation had completely fucking turned itself around on him. He had to pick through it to pull out what had caused more questions than answers. "One more question, why would you get a sword from Alabaster?" foxbot "Oh, well." She stretched her arms over her head in a gesture that would normally look nonchalant, but it terminated in her dropping one hand to rub her eyes tiredly. "You know, I had this devious plan to help you kill Bloodgrut by getting you this sick fuckin' orc-murdering sword, get you on my side. That Robin fucker managed to steal it from me, though, so we decided to burn down his entire little forest, and then it turns out you live in that forest, too. Sad day. 'Course, I did fuckin' bail you out with Bala, earlier." She slumped her check into one hand and grinned unpleasantly. "Maybe you owe me." Mink "I think you burning down my home -" his second home to go up in flames. - "makes us even." He mirrored her smile. "And you have fucking poor informants if a sword is all you can think of to get me on your side." He splayed his hands and shrugged before signing out try me again.(edited) foxbot "What kinda wedding you having?" she asked, apoprops nothing. Mink Raef didn't know why it was any of her damn business, but she looked sincere - or as sincere as she could look. "Normal wedding. All the frills and ribbons." He shrugged. "Why? Have any suggestions?"(edited) foxbot She shrugged. "Curious if you're getting married by a cleric." Mink "Of course. Can't have a druid do it." foxbot "Bet it's that shifty fucker, eh. Goro." She grinned. "Hey, where was that sonofabitch when Bala's people were handing your asses to you?" Mink Raef shrugged. "Off with his friend." He leaned the chair back on two legs. "You're nosy as fuck. You know that, right?" foxbot "Oh, you bet. That's why I'm a fuckin' spy, baby." Mink "Asking questions isn't spying." He damn near rolled his eyes, but he did smile. "What kind of problems does a spy have if they're trying to get a bunch of shady fucks to work for them?" foxbot "We're all shady fucks." She waved it off, amused. "Who the hell else am I gonna get to work for me? Fine, upstanding members of society? Well, y'know. I have managed that too," she commented. Mink Raef snorted in amusement. "I'm perfectly 'upstanding'." At least according to the law. "What did you done with an upstanding citizen like me?" foxbot "Oh, y'know, it was the whole skinning thing that really got me interested," she said dryly. "Just having that kinda guy on your side makes some folks reluctant to talk back, you feel me? And eventually I'm going to be moving out into the hills and shit, taking on the orcs myself, so ... You might as well be along for the ride." Mink Joan had tracked him down for the same reason and it made him smile wryly. He set the chair back down and rested an elbow on the table. "Here's the thing, I don't just go after any orcs. I would need to know what these orcs have done, and why it's personally beneficial." He smiled again. "I know how to find Bloodgrut so I need a different reason to come along." foxbot "Oh, fucking fabulous." She waved idly. "Look, I don't wanna kill'em all, I just want Bloodgrut out of the way so someone who'll play nice with me can take the throne. Imesh Sacharet, say. Or Griffin Chastain?" Mink "No. He's off the table." He didn't trust Wyn and he sure as fuck didn't trust her with his husband. "I'll take all the fucking helpful I can get with Bloodgrut, but Griffin stays out of it." foxbot "The orcs are gonna need someone to follow, and that someone needs to follow me." She shrugged. Mink Raef's jaw tightened. "And that someone isn't going to be Griffin." His fingers flexed on the table. No fucking away. If he had to take Wyn down himself to ensure she stayed the fuck away, he would. But even that wasn't a fucking guarantee. But...if..."I'll help you find someone else to be your pawn." foxbot "Ya boy's got brothers, too," she commented. "I'll see what kinds of backbones they've got -- maybe get them on my side." She shrugged again. "It's a long ways off, right now."(edited) Mink Raef had to make himself sit back again; he was getting worked up over an implied threat and it wasn't a current threat. Not yet. It still fucking pissed him off. "That's fine." Unless Griffin wasn't fine with that. Hopefully by then Wyn would no longer be a threat. "I don't care what you do. Just stay away from Griffin and we can be friends." foxbot Another shrug. "No problem, man. I got no interest in what's-his-name." Mink Good. She looked to be telling the truth and that was fine by him. " Glad we're on the same page." He relaxed. "Mind doing me a favor if I go with you?"(edited) foxbot "Well, I never make promises, but I'll say 'sure, maybe'." Mink "It's more like two favors." He smiled faintly. "First I want your people to stay the hell away from the castle before, during, and after the wedding. Second, there's a body in Alabaster I need burned." foxbot "No promises on the first. You guys are sneaky bastards and you don't fuck around." She shrugged. "If you're not gonna play with me, I gotta keep an eye on you. Second thing, though -- might can do that for you." She tilted her head. Mink "Since we're on good terms, fine, but the fuckers had better behave. I would really hate to get blood on my wedding clothes." He pressed his tongue against the back of his teeth, wondering if Wyn knew or not. She seemed to fucking know everything. "You know where it's at. I can't get there because I have to keep an eye on you, but I need it burned quickly before my necromancer pal does anything stupid." foxbot Her eyes lit up with interest. "Ohh, I see. Intrigue. I like it. Yeah, man, I can make that happen for you." She drew a couple fingers across her palm, signing honest in thieves' cant. Mink He brought his hands up together, straightening his fingers quickly so they were parallel then he put his hands back in his lap: deal. "Guess we should get a drink to seal it." foxbot "Well, I'm never one to turn down a drink." Mink Raef signaled for a server and ordered the drinks. He stuck with ale; the last thing he needed was to get drunk in front of Wyn. Once they were served, he tilted his glass in a small salute gesture before he took a sip. "Are you really not as old as I think you are?" he asked, setting the pint down. It was worth one last try before he left her to her solitude. foxbot She ordered a shot of vodka and downed it quickly, chasing it with her coffee and holding her hand up for another mug. "Depends on how old you think I am, I guess." She squinted at him. "I mean ... fuckin' elves, right? You might be forty, you might be four hundred. At least the guessing range on me is a bit tighter, eh?" Mink "You couldn't pay me to be 40 again." Raef chuckled and took another swallow. "I think you're young, but I also think that maybe you were young a long time ago." foxbot She laughed quietly. "Fuckin' feels that way, buddy." Mink "You and me both." He snorted soft laughter. He finished off his drink. He turned the cup before standing. "I've got shit to do so I'm gonna leave." He pushed the chair in and turned on his heel. "You're fuckin' likeable, Wyn. You might fuckin' succeed." foxbot She started to give him a lazy salute, then glanced down at the table. "Oh, hey. Hold up a sec, wouldja?" She dropped her boots off the table, sending her pseudodragon skittering up the front of her clothes and to her shoulder, where it hissed in annoyance. She slid her book across the table, towards Raef. "Me and your friend Goro, we had a nice talk about stories once or twice. Thought he might like this book. All about mysteries and clever wizards and shit. Would you pass it onto him for me?" Mink Raef turned when he was stopped, arching an eyebrow. He scooped up the book when it reached him and dropped it in his pack. "Sure thing." He smiled and turned once more. "Remember not to fuck up my wedding. I'd like to stay friends." foxbot She grinned. "Am I invited or is that pushin' it?" Mink "You sure as fuck aren't." foxbot The grin widened. "Hey, fair. Blame a bitch for tryin'." She went back to her coffee. "Have a good one, Raef." Mink Raef chuckled and waved over his shoulder as he walked away. "See you 'round." End Title: We're All Friends Now Summary: Raef and Wyn bullshit a bit. Wyn wants help with orcs and Raef wants a body burned. Category:Text Roleplay